The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) congratulates renowned journalist Nikiwe Bikitsha on her appointment as a member of the third National Planning Commission (NPC).
Bikitsha was appointed to the NPC by President Cyril Ramaphosa and will serve for a period of five years, effective from 1 December 2021. Bikitsha is an experienced broadcast journalist and social commentator whose contribution to South African journalism is commendable.
She follows in the footsteps of veteran journalist, Dr Thami Mazwai, who previously served in the NPC.
We have no doubt that Nikiwe will commit herself fully to her new role as she has previously done when called upon to do so.
Bikitsha recently sat on the panel appointed by SANEF, chaired by retired judge Kathleen Satchwell, that conducted the inquiry into media ethics and credibility in South Africa.
The panel produced a comprehensive report whose recommendations form a large part of SANEF’s action plan and efforts aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the media in our country.
We wish Nikiwe and the other commissioners, all the best on their appointment as they continue with the important work undertaken by the NPC.
Bikitsha also sits on the board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Note to Editors:The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
On 11th December 2021, the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) calls on law-enforcement agencies to investigate and arrest the callous criminals threatening the lives of SABC’s Lesedi FM journalists for covering the local government elections in the Free State Province.
SANEF has learnt with great dismay of a message sent to Lesedi FM News’ Current Affairs Senior Producer Dimakatso Motsoeneng where she received death threats including unprintable violence against her children too. Motsoeneng’s colleagues Palesa Chubisi and Lahliwe Matsoso also received similar threats.
These criminals accused the journalists and the LesediFM news team of being responsible for the ANC’s defeat at the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality and Metsimaholo Local Municipality.
SANEF notes with grave concern that this incident comes on the back of Transport Minister and ANC’s head of elections Fikile Mbalula’s baseless attack on the SABC for its coverage of the November elections.
Mbalula, who claimed the SABC never showed the good side of the ANC by focusing on poor service delivery, not only blamed the public broadcaster for the ANC’s dismal performance at the polls but he also singled out and attacked SABC Editor-in-Chief & Group Executive: SABC News & Current Affairs Ms Phathiswa Magopeni.
SANEF believes that the ANC should also do its own investigation and distance itself from these criminals using the governing party’s name.
The party should also rein in its leaders who have publicly attacked the SABC as such behaviour encourages cyberbullying by party members and their followers, particularly on social media.
The attacks are particularly harsh on women journalists with additional risks that range from sexual harassment, cyber-harassment to rape threats and even murder threats
We also believe that these attacks show disregard for the important role that journalists play in bringing news to the people, especially during this election period.
Anyone with a complaint about a story or broadcast should submit this to the BCCSA or the Press Council where it would be fairly and independently adjudicated.
We remain concerned about the impact of these attacks on the media’s ability to represent all voices in storytelling and ensure that all voices are heard. Many areas in the country are increasingly becoming dangerous hot spots to report from as several reporting crews have been robbed attacked.
SANEF believes that the safety of journalists is intertwined with the general safety and wellbeing of communities whose stories they are out to cover. Lack of safety compromises the working environment of journalists as well as their livelihoods. It also threatens media freedom.
We reiterate our call on law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute the criminals who attack or threaten journalists. These attacks place enormous physical and emotional burdens on journalists who are already exposed to severe constraints under a deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Without journalists focusing on the plight of communities, local government stories will go unreported.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE) are taking action to ensure that the SABC’s disciplinary action against Phathiswa Magopeni, the public broadcaster’s head of news, takes place openly and transparently.
Sbu Ngalwa, the chairperson of SANEF, said: “An open and transparent process will not only assist the public to make up its mind on the case, but it will also aid the SABC to dispel the perception that the process is part of a political witch-hunt.
“SANEF reiterates its respect for the SABC’s internal processes and being able to hold staff accountable – hence we are not calling for the disciplinary action to be abandoned but rather for it to be open to the public as the issues at hand are a matter of great public interest,” said Ngalwa.
The CFE’s executive director Anton Harber, CFE said: “Too much is at stake for this to happen behind closed doors. Ms Magopeni has said that she is being hounded out because she has resisted political interference. We need the public to see if this is a return to the days when factional politics dominated the SABC and buried its public service mandate”.
Lawyers for SANEF and CFE have written to the chair of the hearing, Advocate Nazeer Cassim, to ask that the media be allowed to attend the proceedings. Cassim has asked the SANEF and CFE legal team to argue the case for openness when the hearing begins on December 17. The SABC has already refused a SANEF request to open the hearings, so they are expected to oppose it.
“The SABC is no ordinary employer,” SANEF and CFE argued. “The public broadcaster plays a unique role in South Africa’s deliberative democracy, which it can either foster or undermine … Ms Magopeni’s grievance … squarely impugns the SABC’s impartiality and independence.
“Whether she indeed acted negligently in breaching a court order is a matter of public interest,” the two organisations said.
Magopeni has been charged with negligence and bringing the SABC into disrepute after the broadcaster ran an episode of its investigative programme Special Assignment in contravention of a court order.
In a formal grievance, Magopeni argued that she is being held to account for a decision that was not hers, as it was made four levels below her.
She alleges she is being targeted because she resisted attempts by the SABC chair and Group CEO to force her to carry an unscheduled interview with President Cyril Ramaphosa during the recent local government election campaign.
The action against Magopeni came just days after Fikile Mbalula, the ANC’s head of elections, blamed the SABC for his party’s election performance and pointed a finger at Magopeni personally.
The SABC has been on the right course to restore its public service values and to reverse the damage caused by years of political interference and manipulation. As a society we must be vigilant to prevent this from happening again.
*SANEF is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. SANEF is committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media.
*CFE is a non-profit body dedicated to defending and expanding the right to free expression for all in southern Africa.
SANEF in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism will be hosting a series of webinars to accompany the relaunch of the Reporting the Courts manual.
Webinar 1 : UNDERSTANDING THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE RULE OF LAW IN SOUTH AFRICA
On 27 November 2021, the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has learnt of the SABC’s decision to bring disciplinary action against its head of news Phathiswa Magopeni for alleged negligence and bringing the public broadcaster into disrepute.
These developments come on the back of political pressure and attacks on Magopeni – from the ANC, who accuse her of being the cause of the governing party’s poor electoral performance in the recent Local Government Elections.
While we are not saying that those two issues are related, however, the timing raises eyebrows and suspicions of a possible politically motivated witch-hunt.
The SABC has the responsibility to investigate the violation of a court order after an episode of the investigative programme Special Assignment was aired, six weeks after the court ordered that it should not be broadcast.
The media is not above the law, and court decisions must be respected. Any responsible company would do that.
We understand that the public broadcaster was interdicted on 14 September by the North Gauteng High Court from airing and/or broadcasting and/or publishing a Special Assignment investigative report exposing alleged anti-competitive conduct in the towing industry. While the interdict was still in force, the episode was broadcast a month and a half later, in breach of the court order. The public broadcaster is facing a contempt of court order and possible imprisonment of those who took the decision
SANEF does not condone the breach of the court interdict and always advocates for respect for the court processes in this country.
That is why we are calling for openness in the handling of the matter. Given that the waters have been muddied by the blatant political attacks on Magopeni and the SABC, over their coverage of the 1 November elections, we call on the SABC management to make Magopeni’s hearing public, in the interests of transparency. This will assist to dispel any perception that the process is a witch-hunt aimed at achieving political ends.
Magopeni has been the subject of personal attacks from some ANC leaders, including the recent criticism by Transport minister and ANC’s head of elections Fikile Mbalula.
The SABC is too important to fail or to find itself dragged back to the dark days of political control and manipulation.
It is only fair that the SABC management demonstrates to all South Africans that their actions are motivated by nothing other than the need to ensure that the good name of the public broadcaster is not dragged through the mud.
We will keenly follow this case to its natural conclusion.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) finds Transport Minister and ANC’s head of elections Fikile Mbalula’s attack on the SABC’s coverage of the November local government elections baseless and shameful. Mbalula has blamed the public broadcaster for the ANC’s dismal performance at the polls around the country saying the SABC never showed the good side of the ANC by focusing on negative service delivery issues in the municipalities the party ran.
Mbalula should immediately stop the personal attack on SABC Editor-in-Chief & Group Executive: SABC News & Current Affairs Ms Phatiswa Magopeni as we’ve found in the past that this encourages cyberbullying by party members and his followers on social media. According to Reporters without Borders (RSF) sexisms_toll_on_journalism Report; women journalists are exposed to alarming additional risks that range from discrimination, sexual harassment and cyber-harassment to rape threats, sexual attack, rape and even murder.
Addressing the International Press Institute Congress in Cape Town on 14 February 1994, South Africa’s statesman Nelson Mandela said: “No single person, no body of opinion, no political or religious doctrine, no political party or government can claim to have a monopoly on truth. For that reason, truth can be arrived at only through the untrammelled contest between and among competing opinions, in which as many viewpoints as possible are given a fair and equal hearing.”
Mbalula seems to hate the truth that came out of the SABC’s Service Delivery Gauge, a show that looked into the performance of municipalities in providing basic service delivery through the genuine voices and opinions of the general public. He reportedly said the show ruthlessly attacked the ANC and accused the SABC of running a “campaign” which led to South Africans deciding not to cast their votes on November 1. According to Mbalula, the show also put the ANC on the “back foot” as it focused only on the failures of ANC-led municipalities.
We believe that the SABC did its job when it gave the citizens of this country the voice to express their concerns about service delivery in their respective municipalities.
It appears Mbalula expected the SABC to gloss over poor performance of ANC-run councils and operate like an extended public relations machine of the ANC. This ought to be rejected. This would be a breach of its mandate as stipulated in chapter IV of the Broadcasting Act (as amended) which requires the SABC to encourage the development of South African expression by providing, in the official languages, a wide range of programming that:
Reflects South African attitudes, opinions, ideas, values and artistic creativity
Offers a plurality of views and a variety of news, information and analysis from a South African point of view
Advances the national and public interest.
Instead of being vilified, the minister, the ANC and all political parties and independent candidates should be commending the SABC for its outstanding coverage of local government elections with limited resources. The SABC ought to be shielded from such misplaced notions of sweetheart journalism.
Mbalula and any citizen should rather register their complaint with the BCCSA and Press Council instead of generalising so recklessly about the perception of bias.
We wish to remind the governing party that the freedom of the press is the most important wheel of democracy. Without a free press, a democracy cannot exist. The press is a great medium that conveys the truth to people. The press watches those in power to ensure they do not misuse it and it prevents and corrects abuses of power.
During these elections, the media in South Africa experienced harassment from authorities, attacks from politicians and even robberies from criminals while covering elections in many townships. We recognise and applaud the bravery of many journalists who soldiered on telling the stories of various communities despite the real danger including the atrocious pandemic.
History in African democracies led by liberation movements has taught us that the press is always the first institution to be attacked when a country’s leadership faces the uncomfortable truth of losing power and taking an anti-democratic turn. Repression of free media is a strong indication that other political rights and civil liberties are in danger. Assaults on media independence are frequently associated with power grabs by incumbent leaders as entrenched regimes attempt to crush perceived threats to their control.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), a constituent of the Press Council, yet again reminds journalists of this code as it has sadly, and regrettably, learnt of the election of Edwin Ntshidi as a PR councillor of Action SA in the City of Johannesburg.
On independence and matters relating to conflict of interest, the Press Code clearly states that: “The media shall not allow commercial, political, personal or other non-professional considerations to influence reporting, and avoid conflicts of interest as well as practices that could lead readers to doubt the media’s independence and professionalism.”
Ntshidi, a freelance reporter, covered the recently concluded municipal elections for EWN. While we are happy that he is no longer a reporter, and his association with EWN ceased, we are equally concerned at his conduct and why he agreed to be an Action SA candidate, while he was reporting on politics, including the very same party he now represents. It must be noted Ntshidi never disclosed to EWN his political ambitions.
SANEF takes ethical journalism, fair and balanced reporting, and the non-association of journalists with political parties seriously, hence our disappointment at this latest development.
This development is in contrast with the work the entire media fraternity, SANEF and other stakeholders, have been doing in regaining the lost trust in the media. Journalists are always advised to steer clear of conflict of interest, be trustworthy and do their work with integrity.
Media entities in South Africa are led by editors who always encourage their journalists to be independent, and practise high standards of journalism which should not be compromised by the lure of political office. Our audiences, in a time we are asking them to trust us again, cannot at this point doubt our political independence.
Whenever matters of conflict of interests arise, be it political or commercial, journalists are advised to always alert their editors so that they can act on these.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) held its final council meeting for 2021 in Johannesburg, where robust discussions on critical issues affecting the news media industry were held.
The Council meeting noted how the industry continues to battle the devastating impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic – ranging from the untimely passing of some of our colleagues to the continued negative financial impact of the pandemic on newsrooms.
Despite those challenges, 2021 proved to be an action-packed year for the organisation as SANEF embarked on several projects aimed at empowering journalists. These include:
a) Elections training workshops
b) An Elections portal
c) The Media Relief Fund
d) The production of a manual on Reporting the Courts
e) The production of a manual on Reporting the Covid-19 Pandemic
e) The safety training for journalists
f) A partnership with SADAG on mental health assistance for journalists. There is now a dedicated SMS line ready to assist journalists. It’s 31985
25 Year Anniversary Book
In marking SANEF’s 25th anniversary, a book was produced were founder members, current editors and members contributed towards its success. The book was initiated and edited by Mary Papayya, the chairperson of SANEF’s Media Freedom Committee and Founder Editor.
Interaction with Presidency
SANEF is concerned by the lack of consistent engagements by the Presidency with the media. When President Cyril Ramaphosa came into office, we proposed that there should be a quarterly engagement with the media, where editors and senior journalists can ask him direct questions on the variety of issues facing the country. Sadly, this seems to have fallen through the cracks as there has been poor or no communication from the Presidency.
In July, there was a promise to engage with the media following the devastating July unrest. This did not happen.
SANEF has also called on the President to take questions following his updates on the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite him acknowledging our request, this has never happened.
The latest in the general deterioration of SANEF’s relationship with the government was Friday afternoon’s last-minute cancellation by the Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele. The minister had earlier committed to attend the SANEF council meeting. There were poor reasons provided for the said cancellation.
Yet again, SANEF would like to remind the government that regular engagement is needed, and we will continue to encourage it.
In a country dealing with multiple crises including a deadly pandemic, a struggling economy, policy uncertainty, unanswered questions around the recent looting, South Africans deserve to hear about these and many other issues from the head of state.
SANEF has traditionally advocated for gatherings, including the Cabinet Indaba, to allow for a deeper understanding of the priorities of government to allow for quality reporting.
We urge the Presidency to consider reinstating this event. The last event was held in 2015, led by President Ramaphosa who was then deputy president.
Independent Media
The SANEF council also had a detailed debate on the continued ethical lapses at Independent Media- most notable is their continued publication of fabricated, misleading, and reputationally damaging stories on the so-called “Tembisa decuplets” – the latest being the ludicrous claim that the non-existent children had been trafficked.
SANEF is not only concerned about the impact of the false story on the wider industry but also the reversal of the hard work many organisations do to encourage pregnant women to use health facilities to deliver their babies. Independent Media continues to publish these fabricated stories with no evidence provided. The exploitation of the pain and suffering of those parents who have lost their children to human trafficking is heartless and deceitful.
We urge organisations, professional bodies, and civil society voices to emulate the commendable position taken by Molo Songololo to not take part in the planned docu-series meant to further whitewash the facts about the non-existent decuplets’ story.
Raymond Louw
SANEF notes and celebrates the honour bestowed on one of our veteran founders, the late Raymond Louw who – at the National Orders event – was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga posthumously by President Ramaphosa. Not only was Louw a veteran journalist who immensely contributed to journalism in SA, but he was also a media freedom champion whose contribution to journalism is well documented even beyond SA’s borders.
2022
As we march into the new year, we do so as an industry faced with various challenges such as the sustainability of the news media, sustaining critical media jobs, declining revenues, the ongoing issue of the safety of journalists, and misinformation, to name a few. These are challenges SANEF, through the cooperation of various stakeholders, is passionate to address as we seek to continue maintaining the media’s rightful place in our constitutional democracy.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is concerned about the continued publication of so-called “opinion” pieces by Independent Media, making baseless and defamatory claims against Daily Maverick’s founder and editor-in-chief, Branko Brkic.
Without providing any proof, the articles accuse Brkic of dishonesty, fraud, and theft. These are extremely serious claims for which Independent Media should provide evidence.
This is the latest in a series of attacks on bona fide journalists who have published articles about the troubled reign of Independent Media owner Iqbal Survé. In 2018, an “investigation” by interns at the group accused respected journalists, who reported on the financial affairs of Survé’s Sekunjalo companies, of being “stratcom agents”.
SANEF supports Daily Maverick’s intentions to first approach Independent Media’s internal ombudsman to lodge a complaint, a move that would hopefully yield results.
It remains an option for Daily Maverick and Brkic to approach the courts to seek redress from Independent Media. This would be a sad day for the South African journalistic fraternity, who are supposed to share the principles of accountability, transparency and holding power to account.
SANEF reiterates its call for Independent Media and its titles, like IOL, The Star, The Cape Times, The Mercury, and Daily News, to re-join the Press Council as a responsible member that is regulated by the industry body.
It must be noted that the latest series of articles follow the release of a report by Advocate Michael Donen into editorial lapses at the group and specifically Pretoria News with the publication of the so-called “decuplets” story.
The Daily Maverick reported that Independent Media’s own internal ombud found the story to have been a “hoax”.
Although Independent Media has elected to act in opposition to the rest of its media peers, it still has a responsibility to the public and its readers to uphold good journalistic practices and sound ethics.
South Africa’s Constitution protects media freedom, including access to information that is free and fair. What it does not protect is the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation, that are increasingly becoming a global problem.
Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research and education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
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